Readjustable cushion shoe heel



i, Dec. 22, 1925- 1,566,350'

A. SMITH REvADJUSTABLE CUSHION SHOE HEEL Filed 001'.. 2'7. 1924 Patented Dec. 22, 1925.

UNITED STATES AURELIUS SMITH, F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

READJUSTABLE CUSHION SHOE HEEL.

Application led October 27, 1924. Serial No. 746,195.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, AURELIUs SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Readjustable Cushion Shoe Heel, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon. y

Y My invention relates to the type of shoe heel that is mainly composed of non-metallic substance, such as composition similar to that commonly used for so-called rubber shoe heels, the invention having reference more particularly to a cushion heel having a wearing part that may be readjusted repeatedly as edge portions wear away, and which may be of the low heel type desired by many users.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved readjustable cushion heel that shall be of such construction as to permit of a high degree of comfort and convenience of the user, and especially when a low and broad heel is desired.

Another object is t0 provide a readjustable cushion heel whichV shall have great efficiency and durability.

A. further object is to provide improved yielding parts adapted to co-operate to maintain firm footing of the user, even when edge portions ofV a maincushion part or heel tap have become worn away. V

A still further object is to provide improved heel parts thatshall 'be of -simple and inexpensive construction, not costly, and which may be readily applied, yI'eadjusted, or replaced at small cost when finally worn away. v V4With ythe above-mentioned. and other objects in view, the invention consists in improved heel taps adapted to be readjusted rotatively and also to be inverted, in a novel shim to constitute a backing for al worn cushion heel tap, in a novel front or corner part to afford a firm tread, and in an improved guard-or casing; the invention consisting also furtheri in the parts andcombinations and arrangements of parts as hereinafter particularly described and subsequently claimed.

Referring to the drawings,-Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view of 4va shoe or boot having the filn-llmd heel applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a perspective Viewk of the guard or casing part of the heel; Fig. 3 is a bottom plan of the heel as preferably constructed; Fig. 4 is a perspective viewkof the front corner part of the heel; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical central section of the im proved heel;y Fig. 6 is a view similar to the preceding figure excepting that a tap partially worn at the edge is inverted to present an unworn face; and Fig. 7 vis a perspective view ofthe novel backing shim comprised in the invention. Y

Similar reference characters in the different iigu-res of the drawings indicate corresponding elements or features of construction herein referred to in detail. Y

In the drawings the numeral l indicates the rearward portion of the main or upper partof a shoe or boot and 2 the rearward or heel portion of the sole thereof. The improved heel includes a guard creasing which may be composed of thin sheet metal and comprise a curved portion 3 and two side portions 4 and 5 having holes 6 to receive securing nails 7 to be driven into the edge of the sole to which the guard is fitted, the curved portion 3 preferably being tapered; and the guard includes also front portions 8 and 9 suitably cut away so that the topsmay fit against the under side ofv thev shoe sole, suchifront parts be-A ing either straight or curved according to preference, and are provided with ears 10 andwlO respectively whereby to secure them to the shoe sole. Preferably the outer side ofy the shoe sole has a thickening Apiece 11 secured thereto by means of nails 12,"the piece being placed so as to be approximately central in the guard or casing.

Yieldingfpads or lifts 13,13', constitute the main portion of the heel and they have convex. edges, each pad Vpreferably being cylindrical, the faces preferably being slightly concave. Each pad preferably has alayer of fabric reinforcement 14 therein, and each face has a central recess 15 therein to receive the piece 11 when placed adjacent to the shoe sole. Each pad has also a plurality of holes 16 therein arranged adjacent to the edge thereof, being arranged in a circle when the pad is cylindrical, to receive Asecuring screws or spurs, the-holes having countersunk ends.

VAn annular shim 17 is provided which corresponds to the pad in shape and size heel lifts into the shoe sole.

excepting that it may have less thiclniess, and one tace thereof is concave, the'sh'im being composed of suitable non-metallic material, preferably being resilient or yielding. A disk i8 is provided thathas a convex tace which is arrrfinged against the concave tace oi the shim, a portion ot the disk` protruding into the opening in the shim, the dislr being detaohably secured by suitable means' to the shim. Preferably a layer ot' iabric 19 is secured to the protruding portion ot the disk and to adjacent port-ions ot the shim. rlfhe disl; may be composed ot inexpensive material, such as molded plastic paper stock to be discarded without material loss when not further needed. The fabric 19 may be pressed into the surface otA the parts and cemented thereto, to secure the parts together, and assist in maintaining the shape oit the shim. The shim and its lilling disk to be carried in the heel behind the pad or one of the plur of pads., until needed to serve as a back ng for the pad when the pad is inverted after its original front race has become rounded from long use and wearing away at its edge. rlhe disk has a central hole 2O andthe shim has a hole 2l to receive screws 22 and 23 respectively that are inserted through'the pad'or rlhe heel proper is preferably located forward oit the curved portion 3 ot the guard, which may in some eases be desired, and a shim 24 is set into the space lettbetween the pad and the adpicent portion ot the guard or casing, the

shim having tapered end portions to effect neat tilting in the available space. The base portion ot the shim that is adjacent to the shoe sole is relatively thicker than the opposite edge portion ol the shim, corresponding to the inclination ot the rearA portion 3 ot the guard..

The heel pad is adjustable to permit a worn rear portion to be turned to Aforward position, whether the cushion pad is cylindrical or oval in plane, as is understood, and in order that the heel shall have amply broad support 'for the user, the heel is Vprovided with vforward corner portions 25 and which may conveniently be integral with a tie member 27 so as to beI composed ot a single piece or heel member. The corner portions have recesses 2S and 28 respectively inreach opposite tace thereof' and countersunk holes 29 and29 respectively to receive screws 30 and 30 respectively whereby to detachably secure the forward heel member to the shoe sole, the normally rear portion of the member having a concave side 81 abutting` the curved edge of the cushion pad or pads comprised in the heel. The forward side 32 ot the front member preferably has a guard plate 33 arranged thereon which has ears 34g and 34; on its back edge whereby to secure .the plate to the shoe sole, and

the plate has apertures 35 and 35 therein receiving screws 36 andBf, respectively that are screwed into the corner portions 25 and 26 respectively, permitting the corner portions to'be inverted when itsront edge portions become worn away. The corner portions may be inadeotsuch material as may be desired, depending upon the needs of the user, beingot speci-al advantage to the user who may frequently use stairways, protecting the forward portion of the heel against excess wear.

ln some cases, for economical or other reasons, the guard or casing portions 8 and 9, or the entire guard and the shim 24 may be omitted, particularly when a low heel conil'irising a single pad is desired.

ln practical use the rearward portion oit the bottom of the heel becomes worn away while the `forward portions remain in good condition a'considerab'le length of time, so thatv the usefulness of the heel is not impaired when the worn portion of the pad is turned around to the front-corner portions, but the life ofV the Lheel is extended because of the new portions being brought to the rear. When the front face of the cushion pad has become convex due to wearing away at the edge, the iillin'g disk is det-ached from the annular shim, and the concave side of the shim isplaced against thel convex tace of the pad, the shimbeing placed against another pad or heel litt, or obviously may be placed against the shoe sole when' only one cushion pad or heel tap is desired, and the several parts are secured to the shoe sole as indicated. in some cases portions of the shim 17 may becutfawayit not needed as a backing, the remaining portions oi the shim being held in place by the fabric 19. The corner portions of the heel may have become considerably worn before? they need to be inverted or replaced by new ones.

illhat `is claimedv as new is:

l'. A cushion shoe heel including a yielding padwith a convex edge, the pad having a central screw-receiving hole, a corner* 'forining'heel member havinga concave side abutting the edge of the pad, and a' plate secured to theI heel member opposite' to the concave side thereof' andV having an ear thereon to secure itin place.

2. A cushion'shoe heel including a yield ing pad, and an annular shim having aA concave side and a disk having a4 convex side removably arranged on the concave side of the shim, the disk having a central'portion projecting into the opening in the shim, and a fabric layer detachably secured to the cen tral portion of the disk and the. adjacent portions ot the shim, the shim being adapted to be arranged behind the pad.

rfi-cushion shoe' lieel'ineluding a casing having va front portion. and a curved realI portion, a yielding pad arranged in the casing and having a convex edge, the pad having corner-forming portions extending to the front portion of the casing, each corner-forming portion having a concave side abutting the convex edge of the pad, and a shim arranged between the convex edge of the pad and the curved portion of the casing, said shim acting to hold said yielding pad so that its rear edge will be ahead of the rear edgeof said casing.

4. A cushion shoe heel including a yielding pad, and an annular shim having a concave side and a disk having a convex side removably arranged on the concave side of the shim, the disk having a central portion projecting into the. opening in the shim, the shim being adapted to be arranged behind the pad.

5. A cushion shoe heel including an invertible ground-engaging pad and a removable annular shirn arranged above said pad, said shim being approximately wedgeshaped in cross-section.

6. A cushion shoe heel including an invertible ground-engaging pad and a removable shim arranged above said pad, said shim being composed of two separable superposed parts which form when together a stable seat for the unworn side of said pad, and one of said shim parts being shaped to lit the worn side of said pad latter said pad has been inverted.

7 A cushion shoe heel including a casing adapted to be attached to the vertical sides of the rear part of Ia shoe sole, a yielding pad arranged within said casing and extending below it7 and a shim in rear of said pad and lying between said pad and said casing to carry the rear edge of said pad ahead of the rear edge of said casing.

In testimony whereof, I aiix my signature on the 25th day of October 1924.

AURELIUS SMITH. 

